Report
Beauty in 2026: Global shifts. Local realities. Real growth
Global Beauty Views 2026: Data-Driven Trends & Local Success Drivers
Global Beauty Views 2026 brings together expert insights from 20 key beauty markets, offering a data-led view of how consumer preferences, routines, and buying behaviour are evolving across the world. The report captures how global pressures—such as inflation, digital acceleration, and shifting cultural values—are reshaping beauty, while highlighting the local nuance that defines success in each market.
Key report highlights include:
- Coverage of 20 influential beauty markets, including the US, China, India, Brazil, South Korea, Germany, and the UK
- Deep analysis of how economic pressure and inflation are reshaping beauty routines globally
- The growing global influence of K-Beauty as a benchmark for efficacy and formulation
- Strong acceleration of e-commerce and digital-first discovery, with global beauty e-commerce value sales growing +18% in 2025, far outpacing offline growth
Ready to explore more global beauty insights?
Beauty in 2026 is shaped by global forces but defined locally. Success will come to brands that move beyond chasing trends and truly understand people—how they live, what they value, and how those values drive purchase decisions.
Tara James Taylor, Global Beauty Vertical Lead, NielsenIQ
Shaping the future of beauty: key insights from around the world
Beauty is changing. Here’s what’s really driving it.
Beauty is not being transformed by a single defining trend. Instead, a series of interconnected shifts are reshaping how consumers discover, choose, and experience beauty – often in very different ways across markets.
Simpler routines, higher expectations
Consumers are streamlining their routines while expecting more impact from every product. Efficacy, ingredient credibility, and multifunctional formats are increasingly determining what stays in the routine and what is traded out.
Beyond trend: the K-Beauty effect
K-Beauty has moved beyond trend status to become a benchmark for skin-first routines and ingredient-led formulation. Its influence is shaping expectations for performance, innovation, and affordability well beyond Korea.
Digital first beauty decisions
Discovery and evaluation now happen primarily online, with social platforms, marketplaces, and beauty apps driving comparison and validation. These digital touchpoints are increasingly influencing decisions long before shoppers reach the shelf.
Premium and value, side by side
Rather than trading out of beauty, shoppers are becoming more selective about where they invest. Premium continues to win on efficacy and experience, while accessible brands compete on performance-led value.
Global trends. Local reality checks.
While many beauty themes are global, how they play out varies sharply by market. Economic pressure, culture, regulation, and channel dynamics shape very different consumer choices across regions.
Global Beauty Views 2026 brings these signals together through expert perspectives from 20 key markets, revealing how global patterns meet local realities — and where the next opportunities are taking shape.
